3. Do I need to consult with anyone on my application?
Consultation with your neighbours, tāngata whenua, users of the same water source, or interest groups such as the Department of Conservation or Fish & Game, may be required before we can make a decision on a resource consent.
We're happy to provide guidance on who you might need to approach and give you appropriate contacts.
Please read about Ngāi Tahu and the consent process before proceeding.
Why consult?
Consultation will generally help smooth the processing of a resource consent application. Time spent on consultation before your application is lodged can mean considerable savings by avoiding lengthy and costly pre-hearings, hearings and appeals.
Make sure your application includes information about who you consulted with and the outcomes. If you don’t, your application may be returned for more detail.
We recommend you talk to anyone who may be adversely affected by your proposed project or who may have an interest in the environment in general.
This can include the local Ngāi Tahu rūnanga, your neighbours (adjacent landowners and occupiers), environmental groups, other users of the resource, the Department of Conservation and the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.
If the effects from your activity are limited to your site, then consultation may not be needed.
Who are the affected parties?
An affected party is someone who may experience an adverse effect as a result of your application. Such parties will depend on the nature and type of your activity, but may include:
- Owners, occupiers and users of adjacent and nearby land
- Downstream water users
- Users of the same groundwater resource
- Tāngata whenua (Ngāi Tahu)
- Department of Conservation
- Fish & Game
- Occupiers of land living down wind of a proposed discharge to air
- Environment Canterbury's river engineering staff.
For some consents, you may wish to provide written approval from persons likely to be affected using the written approval form on the lodge my application page.